A proud moment

[ladybug1802]

ON my way back from my walk this morning heading back across a field to the car, the parents of a friend of mine were walking towards me (Dylan has never met these people before). So I put Dylan on lead, got my sausages out and we stopped to chat....me feeding him bits of sausages. Now he is much better now and I dont worry about him being that close to people now....but my friend's mum then sort of bent down a bit and said hello and looked at him...so i got in front of him and just explained that he is scared of strangers and eye contact freaks him out....but to be fair, Dylan didnt look even the least bit bothered.

So we chatted fpor a bit longer, me treating Dylan...and he was eating, sniffing round the grass, and then was inbetween us and looked up at my friend's mum with tail wagging, wandered back to me for treat, then wandered over to her and sniffed her.....I gave her a piece of sausage, she gave it to Dylan and then she stroked him under his chin.....Dylan was totally chilled! I was watching his face for the signs for before he snaps, but his face remained totaly calm and non-stressed the entire time! After she had stroked him, I gave him a treat so he came away from her....but he went over to her a couple more times, voluntarily, so I gave her a treat for Dylan, she gave it to him then stroked him again. All absolutely fine and no stress whatsoever....and that is the first time since I have been doing all this behaviour modification stuff with him, that we have met people who Dylan has never met before, without a dog, where he has been THAT calm and pretty much gone up to ask to say hello! He didnt even have one moment where he froze, had his stressed eye look or where his brow furrowed up as it does...not one single moment! I was so proud of him!

[JudyN]

Don't you just love it when all fthe work pays off? Well done Dylan, and well done you!

[jacksdad]

way to go Dylan...oh and you too ladybug

[ladybug1802]

Thanks guys! I just feel so stupidly proud! To tell some people, with 'normal' dogs about this incident, they would look at me like I was mad because their dogs letanyone say hello to them....but for Dylan this is a massive step and I am so so so proud of him!

I cant stop smiling at him!!

[JudyN]

To tell some people, with 'normal' dogs about this incident, they would look at me like I was mad because their dogs letanyone say hello to them....

I so know what you mean! We walked past a kebab in the gutter and he didn't attack me when I said 'leave'... He couldn't get the last biscuit out of the kong but he let me take the kong and get it out for him without leaving big holes in my hand... He had a bone in the garden and I managed to walk past 6' away without any growling... People look at you in astonishment (and eye your dog nervously) but we know just how positive it is

[Fundog]

That's totally awesome. Keep up the good work!